The Menopausal Challenge: Maintaining Intimacy
By Anne Rainville, MD, FACOG F
inally! Menopause brings many free- doms such as no concerns about periods and birth control. With the life changes
that usually accompany menopause such as the “empty nest” one would think that this would be the ideal time to reconnect with your partner and reestablish that intimacy you both crave. However there are many changes that meno- pause brings that present new challenges to this intimacy. Te first challenge that women face is the
vanishing libido. As annoying as periods were the hormones that caused those periods to hap- pen also help you to feel “in the mood”…at least for a few days each month. Now those are gone and libido no longer naturally happens. You ac- tually have to actively think about it! A woman experiences significant changes both physically and emotionally during menopause and this causes stress; this stress further drives down your libido. Because of this, it is extremely important
to talk with your partner about these changes. Although there is no medical treatment that can restore your libido there are some things that can help. You should see a medical profes- sional to make sure that you are healthy and it is very reassuring to talk with an objective person about what you are feeling and what it is nor- mal. Find something that helps you feel better about yourself and the wonderful things that your body can do: start an exercise program, consider yoga and/or meditation or take a class in something you’ve always been interested in but never had the time for like learning how to cook healthier food. Tings like this will reduce the stress on your body that meno- pause causes and can help you to find more balance. Te other challenge that many women face is the change in gynecologic health that declining estrogen
12 Essential Living Maine
level brings. For many women, all of a sudden sex becomes painful—so painful that they stop having it. Obviously this is a major issue if one wishes to remain intimate. Over 50% of post-menopausal women expe- rience painful intercourse. Fortunately there are ways to help with this problem. Te first sign that women experience is dryness. Vaginal dryness can be helped with lubricants (I highly
July/August 2016
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